


Scratches

by silver_shot



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, No Plot/Plotless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-07 01:52:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18400736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silver_shot/pseuds/silver_shot
Summary: A best friend who has yelled at his ideals, pummelled him for his hangs up about the village, and done nothing to address Konoha's history with his clan now judges Sakura for a crime she hasn't committed.





	Scratches

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old "introspective" story reuploaded from my old tumblr blog that no longer exists. So if this story looks familiar...well, thats the reason for it.

“What are you doing out here?

Sasuke eyes the the new voice, “hey,” he says, nodding as Naruto stands beside him; folding his arms over his chest.

Sasuke turns away, the dull light from the hospital building lights up the road that leads to it. Sasuke stands beside an unlit lamp-post. It appears that Naruto joins him for tonight.

“How long have you been standing here?” asks Naruto.

It is odd, he thinks, this circumstance with the village hero, “did you come here to ask me that?”

“Just heard a rumour,” Naruto replies, “Shizune...well...she told me that you're here often”.

“Every now and then,” answers Sasuke.

“Okay,” the blond nods, “you're here for her, aren't you?”

He pauses, noting the tone in which Naruto speaks. He may try to feign a light-hearted manner, but Sasuke will not be fooled into thinking there is no ulterior motive. “Why are you here?” he asks.

Naruto opens his mouth, and stutters on his first syllable, “I'm here because you're here”.

“What does that mean?”

“Just...” Naruto shifts on his feet, “I don't know. I don't want you to...”

“To what?” asks Sasuke.

“To, to feel obligated to Sakura-chan”.

This is what prompts Sasuke to turn to Naruto and look at him for more than a brief second, “I should ask what you mean–”

“So ask”.

“–but,” continues Sasuke, “I have a feeling that your advice will only echo something I've heard before”.

The blond tilts his head, and blinks, “what does that mean?”

Smirking, Sasuke replies, “go home, Naruto,” he turns back to train his eyes to the exit of the hospital.

Naruto huffs, and steps around to fall into the Uchiha's line of sight, “you don't get it”.

“I do”.

“No you don't” Naruto stresses out, “just because everyone says you owe something to Sakura-chan, doesn't mean you do”.

The faintest of creases appears between his brows, “I know that”.

“Then why are you here?”

A breath in, and a breath out, “does it bother you that I'm here?”

“It bothers me that you feel obligated to be here”.

“This isn't what you think”.

“Then what it is?” Naruto exclaims, “the whole village may be on Sakura-chan's side, but I'm not, okay. I understand what you're going through Sasuke”.

The top of his lip twitches, this give-away is not spotted by the blond, “you understand?”

“Yea, I do”.

He hides his scoff; Sasuke takes a step forward, “okay, what am going through?”

His tone invites the intention of conflict. Knowing of this from their battles prior, Naruto flinches, and reminds the Uchiha, “I'm on your side”.

“Right,” continues Sasuke, “so what am I feeling?”

“I...” he pauses, “I just think, that maybe, everyone expects you to pursue Sakura-chan because of your...past. But you don't owe Sakura-chan that”.

“Then what do I owe her?”

“Nothing”.

“Nothing?”

“Yea,” says Naruto, “you don't have to force yourself to return her feelings just because the village says you should”.

Sasuke nods, soaking in Naruto's words – he plays the fool, “so you're saying that I should leave. I shouldn't wait for her shift to end to walk her home. I just shouldn't do that because...you say so?”

“Its just,” the blond exhales, and glances down to his feet, “she shouldn't be forcing you to be with her”.

“She isn't,” Sasuke retorts, his cool edge cracking with this remark. Oh, he'll play along when the topic concerns him, but Naruto's tongue should not go wild on accusations against whom he considers a dear friend. “Sakura isn't forcing me to do anything”.

“Yes...I...you're misinterpreting me,” the frustration is evident in Naruto's tone, “its just, you feel guilty, and she's always loved you”.

“Right...”

“Urgh, you know what I mean. Sakura-chan, she's loved you and now you feel like you have to repay her for, whatever the stupid village says you have to repay her for”.

“The village said that?”

“Its implied”.

“Who implied it?”

“Why are you fighting me on this?” Naruto groans, “I'm on your side”.

“Right,” says Sasuke, shoving his single hand into his coat pocket, “you're on my side, not hers. Sakura is manipulating me. She's cunning, but cruel”.

“You're twisting my words,” pouts the blond.

Sasuke smirks; hollow and joyless, “Sakura has not asked anything of me. Her telling me she loves me forces me to do nothing–”

“But–”

“–I'm here of my own volition”.

“But how do you know it isn't because your guilt is making you do this?”

“Do you think so little of my judgement?”

“No!”

“Then have a little faith”.

Naruto opens his mouth to retort, but decides against it, choosing instead to sigh and remark, “okay, whatever you say,” then, he adds, “I just wanna know that you're okay, and doing what you want–”

“Of everyone in the village Naruto, I don't think you have the right to judge Sakura”.

The blond blinks, “huh?”

Sasuke smirks, “never mind”.

A best friend who has yelled at his ideals, pummelled him for his hangs up about the village, and done nothing to address Konoha's history with his clan now judges Sakura for a crime she hasn't committed. How ironic; he cannot even hold a level conversation with his best friend.

Do they even share an interest in common besides fighting?

Perhaps that is all their characters really boil down to – how sad.

It is no surprise that this situation has been misjudged.

Him and Sakura.

What's so wrong with a little cliché?

“What did you mean by that?” Naruto continues asking.

Sasuke looks away, “don't worry, I'm not sure of what I was saying”.

He'll feign ignorance if it will get Naruto off his back. In less than five minutes, Sakura will emerge from the hospital; tired but glad to see him. She is always glad; the littlest things can make her smile.

She will walk beside him and allow him that chance to stow away from the rest of the world – just for tonight.

Him and Sakura.

This is their routine.

“Look, I'm sorry if you didn't get what I mean,” Naruto continues.

“Its fine”.

“No, I'm serious”.

“Naruto, just drop the issue”.

Naruto is a hit and miss when it comes to reading him just right. They can understand one another whilst exchanging blows, but their lives extend to more than just the battlefield – or so he'd like. Perhaps that's where their understanding ends – loneliness, anger, and pride; these elements can only be sustained for so long.

But then again, for all Naruto knows of him, he knows even less of Sakura.

Such a fact made abundantly clear tonight. Sakura – forcing him to be here; the thought is laughable – how would she even?

Though, in reality, who _really_ knows Sakura? Naruto misjudges her, Kakashi forgets her, and his replacement belittles her. A selfish part of him likes to think that he holds the gold medal in this. He doubts any of the others knows of Sakura's little quirks, or her secret hobbies.

How many of them would know she is fond of gardening, and that she can read a language from a land that none of the team have traveled to. How many of them know of her accomplishments at work, and her failures when it comes to gambling.

How many know of her untamed nature in private – hopefully this is only him. And it is something he can attest to, the scratches along his back prove this.

Sasuke smirks – few people know him, and few people know Sakura.

Judgement from their team, the village, and the world aside; they at least know each other.

And that is enough.


End file.
